Key messages from the Olympic and Paralympic Policing Co-ordination Team
The Olympics is coming to a place near you, are you ready ?
As well as excitement and opportunities for businesses, the Olympic Games will present challenges. Businesses in London and near venues elsewhere in the UK are highly likely to be affected. The Olympic and Paralympic Policing Co-ordination Team wants to encourage all businesses – large and small, in and outside London – to take action to ensure they can continue operating as smoothly as possible during the Games.
What is happening and where?
The Olympic Games will take place 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London and across the UK. There will then be a ‘transition’ period before the Paralympic Games take place in August and September 2012.
Affected areas
A total of 34 competition venues will be used to host the Olympic Games. The majority of events will take place in London; however, numerous sporting events will take place outside of London with some events such as marathons being held on public roads.
To find information on venues and their locations to see if they will impact you’re your business visit
Travel Advice for Business - see if you are in an affected area
The Olympic Torch Relay which runs from 19th May to 27th July 2012 will see the Olympic Flame pass within an hour’s journey of around 90% of the population. For information on the Torch Relay route and whether your business may be impacted visit:
How could your business be impacted by the Games?
During the Games, your business may be affected by an increase in congestion and the volume of people near venues, major transport interchanges and on routes to competition venues. In addition to congestion, temporary changes to local transport, such as parking restrictions and road closures or changes to local public transport services may impact upon your business.
For advice and information on how transport will be affected by the Games and how you can reduce the impact on your business visit:
How can you mitigate the effects of the increase in demand of the travel network on your business?
By avoiding non-essential travel and rescheduling or re-routing essential travel where possible, you can help ensure your business continues to run smoothly. Areas of business to consider include business travel by staff during the day; travel by customers and visitors to and from your premises; deliveries and collections to and from your premises; and freight operations.
Travel Advise for Business - helping your business
What are the main risks and threats to the Olympics?
As with all major events there are a range of potential risks to the Games ranging from terrorism, serious and organised crime, public disorder as well as low level crime.
What can you do to mitigate the threat of terrorism during the Games?
Project ARGUS is a National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) initiative, offered free and explores ways to aid businesses in preventing, handling and recovering from a terrorist attack. It achieves this by taking businesses through a simulated terrorist attack and offers a unique opportunity to both learn from and contribute to valuable lessons helping to protect you, your business and your community, whether you are a national chain or a small business.
For more information about Project ARGUS visit: Project Argus - NaCTSO website
Will there be an increase in crime during the Games?
The experience at previous Games including the 2004 Sydney Olympics and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics is that low-level crime falls at and in the vicinity of Olympic venues during the games.
However with large numbers of tourists visiting the UK during games time, the potential for opportunist crime will be increased despite the enhanced numbers of overt and covert police resources.Olympic related crime will not only occur at Olympic venues, large crowds will attract opportunities for different types of crime and disorder ranging from ticket scams, pick pocketing, shop lifting through to anti social parking.
What can you do to reduce the impact of crime upon your business during the Games?
If you have specific concerns about how your business may be affected by crime during the games you should contact your local Police to raise your concerns and discuss possible solutions. You may want to consider establishing a local Shop or Business Watch scheme or join and existing scheme where local businesses can work together with the local Safer Neighbourhood Team to tackle business crime.
Click to find contact details of your local policing team (Suffolk).